What happened
The association Medieakademin has published this year's edition of Maktbarometern. The survey maps which actors reach out the most on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok, and X. Sverigedemokraterna is the most powerful overall across all platforms for the third year in a row. According to the report, right-wing politics dominates the feeds during this election year, while left-wing debaters such as the think tank Katalys have climbed significantly. On Facebook, Sverigedemokraterna takes first place, ahead of Magdalena Andersson and Socialdemokraterna.
Our analysis
Medieakademin's measurement confirms that Sverigedemokraterna has retained first place for three years in a row, thereby controlling the largest digital megaphone in Sweden. On Facebook, the party ranks first, while Socialdemokraterna only comes in fourth place and Ulf Kristersson in fifth. Conventional reporting counts rankings and followers, but forgets to ask what this dominance does to the political climate for new Swedes when the most widespread messages set the agenda. The impact online shifts the boundaries of the debate long before any legislative proposals are voted through in the Riksdag. Now it remains to be seen how the parties' digital upper hand will affect voters' decisions during the ongoing election year.
Explained
Maktbarometern is an annual survey from Medieakademin that measures which accounts and people have the greatest reach and engagement on major social media platforms in Sweden.